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Walmart customers could be seeing higher prices the next time they go shopping. This comes as trade tensions run high between the US and China.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Walmart will pay $5.6 million to settle a consumer protection lawsuit in California, where the retail giant was accused of selling products such as produce and baked goods for less weight than what was shown on the label.
District attorneys from Santa Clara, Sonoma County, San Diego County and San Bernardino counties alleged that Walmart unlawfully charged customers prices higher than the lowest advertised price, violating California's false advertising and unfair competition laws.
Specifically, prosecutors alleged Walmart sold products with a lower weight than what was listed on the label.
The court ordered Walmart to pay $5.5 million in civil penalties and an additional $139,908.92 to cover investigation costs, in an announcement made last week.
"When someone brings an item to the register to be scanned, the price must be right," Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. "They expect it. California expects it. My office expects it – and we will apply the law to make sure of it."
In an email, Walmart spokeswoman Kelly Hellbusch wrote: "We are pleased this matter is resolved."
The backstory:
This is not the first time Walmart has faced such issues.
In 2012, the company paid a $2.1 million fine for overcharging consumers, which violated a previous judgment from 2008.
What you can do:
Walmart, which operates 280 stores in California, is required to maintain employees responsible for ensuring price and weight accuracy in its California stores as part of the settlement.
Walmart operates 10 stores in Santa Clara County.
Consumers who wish to report pricing or weight issues can contact the Weights and Measures Division by submitting an online complaint form or calling 1-866-SCANNER or 408-918-4601.
The Source: The information for this story is based on a consumer protection lawsuit settlement reached by Walmart with a team of district attorneys' offices, including those from Santa Clara, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Sonoma counties. The details of the civil complaint and the settlement terms were provided by these offices.